Fabric treatment



Patented Dec. 28, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE asa'aesz v FABRIC TREATMENT Camille Dreyfus, New York, N. Y.

7N0 Drawing. Application'January 30, 19.41, Serial No. 376,657

9 Claims.

This invention relates to the treatment of fab- I However, organic derivative of cellulose fabrics do shrink somewhat upon exposure to aqueous media and, unless such fabrics are given a preliminary shrinkage treatment prior to their formation into finished articles such as garments, the finished garments are liable to shrink upon subsequent washing or scouring, thus causing annoyance and inconvenience and even rendering the garment useless for further wearing.

7 It is, accordingly, an important object of my invention to provide a process for the treatment of fabrics made of or containing :organic derivative of cellulose filaments, fibers or yarns to prevent or minimize shrinkage of said fabricwhen washed, scoured or exposed to-any aqueous medium and then dried.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an improved pro ess for preventing orminimizing subsequent shrinka e in fabrics made of or containing filaments. fibers or yarns of an organic derivative of cellulose, upon exposure to.

aqueous media and drying. by treating the fabrics prior to the dyeing o eration with a salt which normally has no swelling action on or which inhibits the swellingof the filaments, fibers oryams of the fabric.

A further object of my invention is the p ovision of a process for the treatment of fabrics made of or containing filaments. flbers'or arns of an organic derivativeof cellulose, prior to the jig dyeing of-the fabric, with large amounts of neutral salts whereby subsequent shrinkage of the fabric upon exposure to aqueous media and'd ying is prevented or minimized. f.

Other objects of my invention will the following detailed description.

Ihave found that shrinkage of fabric made of or containing filaments. fibers or yarns of an organic derivative .of cellulose which has been exposed to water or other aqueous media and dried may be substantially avoided or materially reappear from 50 aments, fibers and yarns of any organic derivaduced by treating the fabric with an aqueous solution ofa neutral salt in the presence of a dispersing agent.

In accordance with my invention, I scour a 6 piece of fabric made of or containing filaments,

fibers or yarns of an organic derivative of cellulose for from A to 1% hours at a temperature of 70 to 90 C. in a solution containing a large amount of a, neutral salt and a dispersing agent.

10 After this scouring, the fabric is jig-dyed in the usual manner, the dyebath, however, containing a large amount of the salt. Preferably, I pour the solution of dyestuif to be employed into the scouring bath after the scouring of the fabric has been 5 completed. I have found that by treating the organic derivative of cellulosefabric in accordance with my invention, reductions of to 50% and more in shrinkage of organic derivative of 20 cellulose fabrics, upon exposure to aqueous media and dried, isobtained.

While I prefer to employ anhydrous Glaubers salt, NazSO-z, in the process of my invention, any 'other suitable neutral salt may be used. I have found the sulphates. chlorides and nitrates to be particularly useful in the process of my invention, the sulphates giving the most satisfactory results, followed by the chlorides and then by the nitrates. I have also,found that the sodium 0 salts are most effective followed by the potassium and magnesium salts in this order. Optimum results are obtained by employing large amounts of these salts, amounts on the order of from -60 to 90 or more grams per liter of water employed in the securing bath. Very satisfactory results are obtained by using 75 grams of anhydrous Glaubers salt per liter of water.

Any suitable dispersing agent may be employed in accordance with my invention such as, for ex- 40 ample, the salts of sulphated fatty alcohols. The

dispersing agents employed should in general be neutral in character, or stable in acid and alkaline. media, and should not be precipitated by the salts. The amount of dispersing agent used in .-the scouring bath may be from 2 to 5 grams, and

preferably 3 grams, per liter of water in the scouring bath.

The process of my invention is applicable to the treatment of fabric made of or containing flltive of cellulose such as cellulose esters and cellulose ethers. Examples of cellulose esters are cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate and cellulose butyrate, while examples of cellulose ethers are ethyl cellulose and benzyl cellulose. Fabrics of mixed esters of cellulose, such as cellulose aceto-propionate and cellulose aceto-butyrate, may also be treated profitably in accordance with my process.

The following examples illustrate my invention but are not to be considered as limiting it in any way:

Example I A piece of satin fabric made of cellulose acetate yarns is scoured for 1 hour at 80 C. in an aqueous solution containing 75 grams per'liter of anhydrous Glaubers salt and 3 grams per liter of Gardinol (fatty acid sulphate). Theso-treat- Per cent shrinkage Normal process s lt process 1.9 1.4 warp 1.3 1.0

Example II A piece of satin fabric made of cellulose acetate yarns is scoured in a jig for 1 hour at 80 C. in an aqueous solution containing 75 grams per liter of anhydrous Glaube'rs salt and 3 grams per liter of Gardinol. The solution of dyestufi is then added to the scouring solution and the fabric jig-dyed in the usual manner.

After dyeing the fabric is dried on a tenter and then given a washing. The treated fabric is found to shrink substantially less than a washed fabric not so treated.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is merely given by way of illustration and that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Process for treating fabrics containing yarns of an organic derivative of cellulose to minimize shrinkage in the fabric upon exposure to aqueous V media and then dried, which comprises scouring the fabrics at a temperature of 80 C. in an aqueous bath containing 60 to 90 grams per liter of a'neutral salt which inhibits swelling of said organic derivative of cellulose yarns and a dis-, persing agent.

' 2. Process for treating fabrics containing yarns of cellulose acetate to minimize shrinkage in the fabric upon exposure to aqueous media and then dried, which comprises scouring the fabrics at a temperature .of 80 C. in an aqueous bath containing 60 to 90 grams per liter of a neutral salt which inhibits swelling of said cellulose acetate yarns and a dispersing agent.

3. Process for treating fabrics containing yarns of cellulose acetate to minimize shrinkage in the fabric upon exposure to aqueous media and then dried, which comprises scouring the fabrics at a temperature of 80 C. in an aqueous bath containing 60 to 90 grams per liter of sodium sulphate and a fatty acid sulphate as dispersing agent.

4. Process for treating fabrics containing yarns of cellulose acetate to minimize shrinkage in the fabric upon exposure to aqueous media and then dried, which comprises scouring the fabrics at 80 C. in an aqueous bath containing '75 grams per liter of sodium sulphate and 3 grams per liter of a fatty acid sulphate as dispersing agent.

5. Process for treating fabrics containing yarns of cellulose acetate to minimize shrinkage in the fabric upon exposure to aqueous media and then dried, which comprises scouring the fabrics for one hour at 80 C. in an aqueous loath containing grams per liter of sodium sulphate and 3 grams per liter of a fatty acid sulphate as dispersing agent.

6. Process for treating fabrics containing yarns of an organic derivative of cellulose to minimize shrinkage in the fabric upon exposure to aqueous media and then dried, which comprises scouring the fabrics at a temperature of C. in an aqueous bath containing 60 to grams per liter of a neutral salt which inhibits swelling of said organic derivative of cellulose yarns and a dispersing agent, and dyeing the fabrics in a dyebath containing a large amount of the same salt.

'7. Process for treating fabrics containing yarns of cellulose acetate to minimize shrinkage in the fabric upon exposure to aqueous media and then dried, which comprises scouring the fabrics at 80 C. in an aqueous bath containing 75 grams per liter of sodium sulphate and 3 grams per liter of a fatty acid sulphate as dispersing agent, and dyeing the fabrics in a dyebath containing 75 grams per liter of anhydrous sodium sulphate with a dyestuif containing a fatty acid sulphate as dispersing agent.

8. Process for treating fabrics containing yarns of an organic derivative 'of cellulose to minimize shrinkage in the fabric upon exposure'to aqueous media and then dried, which comprises scouring the fabrics at a temperature of 80 C. in an aqueous bath containing 60 to 90 grams per liter of a neutral salt whiclflinhibits swelling of said -organic derivative of cellulose yarns and a dispersing agent, and then dyeing the fabrics by adding a dyestufl solution to the scouring bath.

9. Process for treating fabrics containing yarns of cellulose acetate to minimize shrinkage in the fabric upon exposure toaqueous media and then dried, which comprises scouring the fabrics for one hour at 80 C. in an aqueous bath contain.- ing 75 grams per liter of sodium sulphate and 3 grams per liter of a fatty acid sulphate as dispersing agent, and then dyeing the fabrics by adding a dyestuff solution to the scouring bath.

.CAIWILLE DREYFUS. 

